So Preview Night (and day) has come and gone, with all the crazy goodness and cramped crowds that come along with being a part of the iconic comic book and pop culture event known as Comic-Con International.
Highlights include the ICv2 Comics and Media Conference at the Marriott Marina Hotel, which included an excellent keynote speech by writer and producer Jeph Loeb, a pair of excellent comics-to-screen case studies on the upcoming Disney film The Surrogates and Jeff Smith’s lengthy Hollywood adventures over Bone, a panel on what’s come to be known as ‘transmedia’ storytelling, and, finally, a lively panel I moderated on Comics After Hollywood. The conference drew a good crowd of folks interested in the ins and outs of the business, and interesting comments were made in response to great questions.
After that, it was over to the convention center to pick up badges, a process that went much more smoothly this year with press and pros in the same long but fast-moving line.
The floor itself was, as in the past few years on Preview Night, packed so tightly it was hard to move. This was especially pronounced in the center of the floor, where many toy and movie companies were situated.
There was plenty of traffic at the Animation Magazine booth (#2044), where fans can pick up a special Ponyo cover variant of the current issue of the magazine, as well as other goodies such as a great deal on our 20th anniversary hardcover coffee-table book.
Conditions walking around the floor were typical ‘ with that many people, it can’t help but be hot, sweaty and unpleasant. Fans on Preview Night seem most interested in zeroing in on those rare exclusive items they can’t get anywhere else ‘before they run out.
Programming was limited to a handful of screenings, though reports were that Twilight fans were camped out to ensure a spot in Hall H for tomorrow’s New Moon presentation.
Check back with Animation Magazine.net tomorrow for updates on as much animation stuff as we can manage, including more on Astro Boy and the panel we’re sponsoring with Animation Mentor on the Walt Stanchfield book that is set for 3-4 p.m. in Room 32 AB. And don’t forget to stop by our booth, #2044, and check out some special goodies we have just for the show.
